Features From April to June 20181810 The G.B. Railtour on route Westbury, Yeovil, Weymouth and Wareham 26 April 20181811 The CRS Visit to St Phillips Marsh Depot. 28th April 2018 1812 'Slim Jim' at Plymouth in 1983 Clive Smith1813 The Visit of the Cornwall Railway Society to Pentewan on Saturday 19th May 2018 led by Bob Evans1814 37405 with Inspection Saloon 'Caroline' works the 08.06 Bristol Temple Meads to Bristol Temple Meads via Penzance1815 Visiting the remains of the Redlake Tramway on 31st May 2018. An event organised by Colin Burgess from Christow1816 The Cornwall Railway Society Riding the Rails of Devon together with Steam To Kingswear and the Cathedrals Express on Sunday1817 'The Cornishman' with 35028 Clan Line Bristol to Par and return1818 'The Cornishman' Tame Bridge Parkway to Penzance 23rd June 2018​

180623u Here we see the special at Dowglas west of Burngullow on its run to Penzance. Copyright Julian Stephens

180623z 50049 and 50007 About to go under Apex Bridge, although it is the Mazey Day 'Cornishman', the headboard (Slim 1964-2014) carried by the leading engine commemorates Neil (Slim) Morgan, an active volunteer who passes away after an illness in 2014. 50049 Defiance carried this headboard during the Severn Valley Diesel Gala in October 2014 paying tribute to Slim Morgan. Copyright Mick House

1815Visiting the remains of the Redlake Tramway. An event on 31st May 2018 organised by Colin Burgess from the Teign Valley Railway.

Colin Burges organised this visit through the good services of the Datmoor National Park who graciously gave us the opportunity of the services of Ella Briens a Dartmoor National Park Ranger who give us an 'in depth' tour of the Route of the Redlake Tramway from Ivybridge.We are most grateful to Ella for bowing to our needs and making it a most enjoyable afternoon.Those participating where Bernard Mills, Amyas Crump, Mike Hitchens, and Roger Winnen. The organiser was left behind and followed the party on route to the southern most tor of Dartmoor.

The Redlake Tramway was opened in 1913 following a two year construction period. The purpose of the line was to carry men to the recently constructed china clay works at Redlake in the morning and to convey trucks of coal for the pumping engines there. An engine shed was built at Cantrell 200 yards east of the Tramway start point. Also nearby were two sidings which were linked to the GWR main line along with Redlake Sidings signal box. The lines was 8 miles and 17 chains long with a 3 feet gauge single track starting at an elevation of 740 feet ascending to Redlake on Dartmoor at 1490 feet. A 2 feet gauge track was initially laid to construct the line.

Journey time was 30 minutes and the loco would return in the evenings with trucks of waste sand. The clay itself was conveyed in liquid form via a series of pipes to the settling tanks adjacent to the main line. Monday's train was busiest as the workers preferred to stay for week at a hostel on the moor at Redlake returning to families at weekend. When opened the tramway carried 120 men daily and 300 tons of material weekly.

Within a year the outbreak of the First World War would see a manpower shortage and low demand for clay. In addition the clay was found to be of poor quality. Economic problems for the china clay company followed immediately but production did slowly increase again after the war. Sadly the 1932 depression saw production cease and the track was demolished in 1933 and the locos scrapped. The GWR siding and box were removed the same year. The Cantrell clay setting tanks pan kilns and linhays adjacent to the main line lay idle until 1938 and then became an agricultural engineering works until the mid 2000s . Many enthusiasts who have passed by on trains will know them as Western Machinery which was one of the owners for many years.

The Tramway's first loco was a construction engine of 2 feet gauge. This was a Wren class 0-4-0 saddle tank with 6 x 9 inch outside cylinders with little weather protection. From 1913 the line had two locomotives. The main loco was a 3 feet gauge Kerr Stuart 0-4-2 side tank Waterloo class number 1228 named C A Hanson after the principal director and carried brass name plates. Its livery was uncertain but some sources say it was GW green but others said a red crimson. The second loco used was named Dartmoor but was kept for shunting and standby at Cantrell. This was an 0-4-2 saddle tank but of smaller Tattoo class. C A Hanson was scrapped in 1921 and Dartmoor took over duties between 1921—28 when a new engine purchased. This was a steam tractor built by Atkinson Walker Waggons Ltd number 111 and named Lady Mallaby Deeley after the proprietors wife. Rolling stock consisted of three bogie passenger carriages, twelve five- ton coal trucks and twelve five-ton sand trucks.

I have included two links,see below, which may be of interest to anyone wanting to know more of the history of the line, its employees and the life they lived as well as the clay industry. For anyone wishing to get their walking boots on and explore the track bed then the BBC Devon link will hopefully spike their interest if I haven't already. If you are quite fit then most of the track bed can be incorporated into a long walk from Princetown to Ivybridge. Good luck with that.

I would like to thank Lesley Thatcher of the Ivybridge Heritage and Archives Group for her help in providing the source book for this feature which is E A Wade's 'The Redlake Tramway & China Clay Works' published 1982 by Twelveheads Press of Chacewater.

RegardsClive Smith

Many thanks to you Clive for giving us this most interesting information on the Redlake Tramway

180531c The Dartmoor National Park 'Utilicon starts its climb from the Cantrell Terminus. Western Beacon the southern most peak of Dartmoor can be seen on the right. Copyright Colin Burges

180531d The old dries at Catrell can be seen from Weston Beacon together with the bridge crossing over the top of the incline. Copyright Colin Burges

180531e An HST can be seen approaching the former Catrell Terminus on route to Plymouth and the Westcountry. Copyright Colin Burges

180531f An HST in the landscape taken from Western Beacon. Copyright Colin Burges

180531h Bittaford from Western Beacon showing part of the viaduct and the old A38 road. Copyright Colin Burges

The start of the tramway track looking west. Copyright Clive Smith

The track bed shirts around west and north around Western Beacon. Copyright Clive Smith

Turning north the tramway trackbed in the foreground with the mainline viaduct and Ivybridge to the rear. Copyright Clive Smith

180531i Climbing from the top of the incline of which we will see later at 740 feet above sea level the line rises to 1490 feet above sea level near the terminus - Copyright Roger Winnen

180531j Ella Briens with her unitilicon parked on the trackbed of the Redlake Tramway, the participants have discovered old rail. Copyright Roger Winnen

180531n Bernard Mills stepping it out to observe this piece of rail. Copyright Roger Winnen

180531o The trsck alignment is clinbing all the way and skirting the contours of the hills. Copyright Roger Winnen

180531p Leftlake Bridge built of stone and brick 5 miles 17 chains from the terminus at Catrell. There was a passing siding of loop at Leftlake when the pit was reopened in the 1920s. Copyright Roger Winnen

180531za Looking down at the trackbed there appears to be groves of where the track was once laid. Copyright Roger Winnen

180531zb Ella in conversation with a gentleman carrying out a survey of the area whilst we were taking the photos. This was a very nice vehicle. Copyright Roger Winnen

180531zc This was the former Leftlake Pit now flooded with cattle grazing. One cow is seen swimming across the lake! I was to late to see it jump into the water creating a massive splash. Copyright Roger Winnen

The trackbed in the foreground with Leftlake behind on a sunny day. Copyright Clive Smith

180529u There is quite alot of enthusiastic interest shown at Penzance for this train. Copyright Roger Winnen

180529v 37405 Prepares to propel its train from Penzance. My next stop was Truro Station aboard the 14.49 to Plymouth which was then cancelled after Truro, passengers being conveyed by bus to Plymouth.
This train then replaced a failed train on the Falmouth Branch. Copyright Roger Winnen

180529k The returning train from Penzance passes under the Ponsandane Footbridge on route to Bristol. Copyright Ollie Turrell

180529z 37405 is seen at Filham east of Ivybridge on its return run to Bristol. Copyright Clive Smith

1813 The Visit of the Cornwall Railway Society to Pentewan on Saturday 19th May 2018 lead by Bob Evans

Following Bobs presentation to the Cornwall Railway Society on Saturday 10th February 2018 at Redruth we were again very pleased that we could have a guided tour of Pentewan and its railways over the years on Saturday 19th May, 2018, this being the day of the Royal Wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.Armed with photographs of old Pentewan, Bob gave us an in depth tour of the remains of both the Pentewan Railway 1829 to 1918 and the Pentewan Block and Sand Works which also operated a railway alongside the harbour and out to the pier.Members were delighted to have the expert knowledge of Bob, a Cornish Historian together with a Railway Enthusiasts.Many Thanks Bob

The Pentewan Railway was a 2' 6" railway in Cornwall, England. It was built as a horse-drawn tramway carrying china clay from St Austell to a new harbour at Pentewan, and was opened in 1829. In 1874 the line was strengthened for locomotive working. It finally succumbed to more efficient operation at other ports and closed in 1918.

In 1829, Sir Christopher Hawkins made further improvements by linking the harbour to St Austell by means of a horse-drawn tramway that hauled china clay from the quarries on St Austell moor and tin from the Polgooth mines for shipment from Pentewan. Coal was shipped in and transported to the mines and (later) to the St Austell gas works . In 1874, the engineer John Barraclough Fell replaced the tramway with a narrow gauge railway. This operated till 1918, when the rails and locomotives were requisitioned by the War Office. The Pentewan Railway was almost entirely a mineral line, but did occasionally transport passengers on special excursions. A Sunday school outing was described by A.L. Rowse in his memories of a Cornish childhood. Part of the old railway line, from the village of London Apprentice to Pentewan, is now a footpath and cyclepath.

The last trading ship left in 1940. After that, the harbour entrance gradually silted up, though it was still possible for small boats to enter the harbour in the 1960s. Now, although the water-filled basin remains, Pentewan harbour is entirely cut off from the sea.

The above courtesy Wilkipedia.

180519a One of the 2018 buses operating out of St Austell arrives to form a local service. Copyright Roger Winnen

180519b Members of the CRS Party filled this new bus on route to Pentewan, Copyright Roger Winnen

180519c Bob Evans from Pentewan being a local Historian for the Old Cornwall Society and a notable Railway Historian addresses the party. Copyright Roger Winnen

180519d These buildings were the former Pentewan School which now have been converted into a Public House. Copyright Roger Winnen

180519e The entrance to the Railway Trail from Pentewan to St Austell. Copyright Roger Winnen

180519f This sluice controlled the water used to flush out the Harbour Basin originally built in 1872. It was restored by the Pentewan Old Cornwall Society in 1991.Copyright Roger Winnen

180519ff An old chair is seen fastened to a granite sleeper block beside the sluice gate on entering Pentewan. Copyright Roger Winnen

180519g This was the original alignment of the Pentewan Railway as it entered the village. Copyright Roger Winnen

180519h The original weighbridge has now been restored as the railway entered the village. Copyright Roger Winnen

180519i An old petrol pump is seen in the hedge. Copyright Roger Winnen

180519j A part of the Pentewan Basin which covered 1,25 acres. Copyright Roger Winnen

180519k The entrance to the sea with the wooden harbour gates. Copyright Roger Winnen

180519l The party on route to the caboose. Copyright Roger Winnen

180519m The restored Caboose Building once the old weigh bridge in the Ship Inn's beer garden and renovated by local residents of Pentewan was unvailed on April 14th 2018 Copyright Roger Winnen

180519n Incorported into its front wall are bricks from Par and Carbis Brickworks. Copyright Roger Winnen

180519o Rails are in evidence around the harbour. At each corner of the harbour there were small turntables to turn the wagon 90 degree. Copyright Roger Winnen

180519ze Rails to the engine shed. One of the engines used on this system now resides at the Wheal Martyn Musuem. Copyright Roger Winnen

180519zf In 1831 a new pier head was built projecting a 160 feet beyond the old pier head however since the closure of the port following the 2nd World War.this area has now silted up. Copyright Roger Winnen

180519zg the remains of the Pentewan Block Works site on the beach at Pentewan. Copyright Roger Winnen

180519zh Rail on the beach which was once a part of the Pentewan Block Works extended on the pier. Copyright Roger Winnen

180519zi Flat bottom track. Copyright Roger Winnen

180519zj Members visiting what remains of the pier. Copyright Roger Winnen

180519zl This tablet inserted into the harbour wall is dated 1826 when the harbour opened by Sir Christopher Hawkins. Copyright Roger Winnen

180519zm The Church at Pentewan was rebuilt in 1821 by Sir Christopher Hawkin in the regency style. Today it only has a number of Festival services a year. Copyright Roger Winnen

180519zn The interior of this Church which is opened to visitors daily. Copyright Roger Winnen

180519znn The outside of this Church on the terrace at Pentewan. This church is no longer administered by the Parish Church of St Austell. Copyright Roger Winnen

180519zp Our party stops for a photographic stop as the decorations are flying for the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. At this point we say a big thank you to Bob for a most interesting tour of Pentewan. Copyright Roger Winnen

Class 33/2 'Hastings Line Gauge' locos, commonly known as 'Slim Jims' due to being 7" narrower than other 33s, were very much a rarity outside the Southern Region south east sector before 1985/86. Allocated to Hither Green depot they were the only diesels that could work through the Tonbridge to Hastings section with its famously out-of-gauge tunnels and rolling stock. When the track was singled through the tunnels in the mid 1980s the need for them to remain wholly in the south east was removed.June 24th 1983 saw 33207 arrive at Plymouth on the 09.35 Exeter to Plymouth, seen here being uncoupled by shunter Dave Palmer. Dave has recently taken early retirement after spending most of his career as a Train Manager or guard as we like to call them. The loco for this train would be anything spare on Exeter stabling point so produced 31s, peaks, 47s and 50s too. The engine would take its stock to Laira and return the coaches as the 17.35 ECS from Laira to Malago Vale sidings in Bristol. However this was routed via Plymouth station in order to detach the Paddington sleeper portion of two coaches to be later added to the portion from Penzance that night. In the second picture 33207 is climbing through Lipson as it approaches Mutley Tunnel. The third picture shows a class 33/2 hauling a mark one sleeper, something I would be surprised exists in many photographs !. Having dropped off the sleeper portion 33207 is seen re-emerging from Mutley Tunnel on its way to Bristol. Fast forward 33 years to 2016 and the same 33207 is seen at Bristol Temple Meads, main line registered in West Coast Railway livery awaiting a steam railtour it was assisting that day. Quite a survivor.

A slight 'hitch' was when our taxi drivers delivered us to the wrong gate, luckily we were early - however after a long trek around the outside of the depot we arrived on time at the main gate to be welcomed by Mr David Leask. On our trek we passed the oil storage tanks below.

180428b Is Thomas the Tank Engine now running on oil?. Copyright Roger Winnen

We've arrived - the party enters via the main gate. 28th April 2018 Copyright Kevin Jenkin.

An Introduction.​The CRS visit to Great Western Railway's Bristol depot at St Philip's Marsh followed an interesting talk in 2017 by the then depot manager, John Saville. It is thanks to the current Senior Production Manager at the depot, David Leask that we were able to see the site at first hand. The depot - known for short as "SPM" - covers a huge area and is most unusual in its layout with trains able to enter from two directions. HSTs usually arrive from the "London" end while "west units" (dmus of several classes) normally come in from the west (Exeter) end. Each type follows its own path through servicing, maintenance and washing facilities ready to be stabled, usually overnight, before going back into service.

Advancing electrification and consequent rolling stock changes present problems both for the staff and facilities at SPM: staff have to learn their way around new train types and a complete remodelling of the depot and its equipment is needed because while new Intercity Express Trains (IETs) are to be maintained at a new Hitachi plant at Stoke Gifford, many more dmus with controlled emission toilets will be coming to SPM. Members could see at close hand how vehicles an be raised on jacks, wheel sets are re-profiled, brake blocks changed and a myriad of maintenance tasks carried out such as door repairs, windscreen replacement, engine servicing and underframe cleaning.

Grateful thanks are due to David Leask for giving up his time, making us welcome - including tea, coffee and biscuits - and answering so many questions.

​

One of the diagrams used by Mr. David Leask, Depot Manager, to explain the scheduling of work through the vast complex.

IMG_7924 YRC GB Railtour visit on the 26th April 2018. The 'Balck Five' sits on the turntable. Copyright John Cornelius

IMG_7927 YRC GB Railtour - the 'U' Class is now attached ready to be drawn back to Pen Mill by the 'Black Five'. 26th April 2018 Copyright John Cornelius

IMG_7933 The GB Railtour at Yeovil Railway Centre. The 'U' Class has been attached to the railtour and the 'Black Five' is ready to move out to be attached to draw the train back to Yeovil Pen Mill. 26th April 2018 Copyright John Cornelius

Copyright John Cornelius

Copyright John Cornelius

IMG_ The railtour now having reversed at Yeovil Pen Mill now heads for Dorchester West and Weymouth. GB Railtour 26th April 2018. Copyright John Cornelius

180426d The Great Britain X1 awaits departure from Weymouth for Wareham and Swanage. Copyright Roger Winnen

180426e 31806 working hard pushing the train out of Weymouth. Copyright Roger Winnen

180426r Will we every see a train here again! The signal is still at red for the Weymouth Tramway. Copyright Roger Winnen

Wareham

Meantime KJ moves on to Wareham ahead of the railtour. 26th April 2018. Copyright Keith Jenkin.

Looking eastward towards Bournemouth from the footbridge at Wareham one can see the sidings retained at this end of the station for use in temporarily stabling stock for use on the Swanage Branch. 26th April 2018. Copyright Keith Jenkin.

With spectators already 'manning' the footbridge Class 44 023 runs into the station with a working heading for Weymouth.It is nice to see the signalbox retained here although it is no longer a workng box. It once supervised a busy road crossing here, however, the road traffic is now carried by the bridge in the middle foreground. 26th April 2018. Copyright Keith Jenkin

Wareham once had two additional platforms available to Swanage passengers, a bay on the down side and this platform on the upside. However, the rails were removed long ago and the bay on the downside forms additional car parking space. The gentleman with his back to us to the left of the picture is the Swanage Railway guard necessary to take the train onwards to the seaside destination. 26th April 2018. Copyright Keith Jenkin

The railtour headed by the Black Five runs into the station with the 'U' class bringing up the rear. 26th April 2018.
Copyright Keith Jenkin

The 'u' stands at the head of its train ready to depart for Worgret Junction and the Swanage Railway. 26th April 2018. Copyright Keith Jenkin.

With the crossover clearly set for the train to pass from the up main to the down main and on to Worgret Junction the spectacle draws to a close - a very efficient operation. 26th April 2018.

The show is over and spectators head away down the platforms well satisfied with their day. 26th April 2018. Copyright Keith Jenkin.